Switch box bracket



July 11, 1950 N. c. GARDNER SWITCH BOX BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 4, 1947 July 11, 1950 N. c. GA'RDNER 2,514,755

SWITCH BOX BRACKET Filed Aug. 4; 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 11, 1950 i UN'ITED OFFICE SWITCH BOX BRACKET} Norman :0. Gardner, ..Granite-City,.Ill. Application August 4, 1947, Serial N0. 7 65,899

40mins. (crane-.277). a

This invention relates to: a switch" box; bracket and it is an object of theinventionr to provide .a device of thiskind whereby'aswitchibox may awall without injuryv tothe interiorfinish: there- -of sucha'as plaster or; board.

. 'The invention consists in the details of con- --struction and in thewcombination' and arrangement of. the several parts of: my'improved switch 'box brackets, whereby certain. advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

: In: order that my'invention may be better-uni .dersto.od,Ii will now proceed to describethe same with reference to: the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Two forms of bracket areillustrated on the drawings; one for a round or octagonaloutletbox and another for a square: switch box.

. In thev drawingslike reference numerals d'enotethe same details inthe different views.

Figure; 1 is a face view of a ceiling bracket for a round or octagonal outlet boxas seen from below: the ceiling of a room'and 'the' outlet box in position with. some parts broken away. Figure 2 is a. vertical section on'apl'ane take along line 2-2 of Figure 1;,

t Figure 3 is a right hand face view 'of-the br'ack=- et in Figure 2 only.

Figure 4 is" afront elevation of a wall bracket for a square, doubleswitch box, as viewed from the inside ofa room, with some parts broken a y; i

Figure 5 is a face View ofthe-rmain bracket member as seen from the inside. of: the wall;

Figure '6 is a vertical section'on a plane taken along'line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentaryradial secti'ontaken on a plane along line 1-1' of Figure 1.

In theembodiment of the invention as particularly illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 a ceiling board ID or the like is provided with an opening ll through which is inserted the switch box [2, herein disclosed as octagonal.

The bracket consists of two foundation members I3, I 4 and two spider members l5, [6. The two foundation members [3 and [4 each have two straight, marginal straps l1 and I8 forming a right angle to each other and at the end of strap I! an eye 19 is formed for engaging an adjusting rod 20, while the other strap I8 is provided with a series of similar eyes 2| all in alinement and adapted to have slidably disposed therethrough one of'the Wires or rods 26. By this mean'sitiis possible to make the foundationwider or narrower according to the size of hole I l, by

slidingthe rod or wire 20 0f the members [3 and Mithrough the eyes 2 IL At. right: angles to each other and to the straps i 'll-and 18 0f the members [3 and [4 are the tabs or narrow fingers 22 and 23',- of whichtab 22 is located at the outer extremity of strap l8,- while tab: 23. islocated centrally of strap- IT. A third tab or finger 24 runs diagonally inwardly from thejunction between straps- IT and I8, while a fourth tab 25 -likewise runs diagonally from the outer: end ofstrapl H, where-the singleeye I9 is located; Both tabs or fingers 24 and 25 have pointedt inner: ends in order not to overlap the blunt ended" tabs or fingers 22, 23, when the members I3; I 4 are laid out fiat for packing. The

tabaor finger 25" is provided with a longitudinal slot'26, the". function of which will beexplained later. I r The two arms l5, lficf the spider member are pivotally connected centrallytas at 28, where they canlbei swung out at right angles to each other.

These. arms..l5!and lBare of a length to extend outwardly'beyond theside wall of the box or receptacleLl2 and thevouter ends thereof are continued byi'the substantially perpendicularly reas determined by: the size of the opening ll.

Next the fingers- 22'and 23 'are folded out thru the opening l l and bent outwardly over board I0, so that-thelatter'becomes pinched between said straps-ll; l8- andthe-fingers 22; 23', see'Figure'2.

The next step is to insert the arms 29 of the spider arms l5 and I6, through the opening I!) and preferably with the arms 29 overlying and in close contact with the portions of the arms 22 and 23 within the opening. The arms 24 and 25 are also outwardly bended after which the box or receptacle I2 is applied with, of course its open face outwardly disposed. After the box or receptacle l2 has been properly placed within or through the opening ll, pull on the outer end portions of the arms 29 will bring the arms l5 and I5 closely adjacent to the inner or bottom wall of the box or receptacle l2 whereupon the portions of the 3 arms 29 outwardly beyond the wall ID are outwardly folded, as at 30 to overlie the portions of the arms 22 and 23 lapping the wall Ill.

The outer or extended portions of the arms 24 and 25 are then folded inwardly to tightly lap the wall of the box or receptacle [2. The slots 26 in the arms 25 are so positioned to allow the passage therethrough of the inwardly disposed and diametrically opposed lugs 3| carried by the outer or open end of the box or receptacle l2.

Lastly a fiat collar 33 with a large circular opening 34 is placed around the opening H and,

a recess a in the inner marginal portions of'the collar. I 4 i V In Figures 4, 5 and 6 is shown a wall bracket construction for a double switch box being a simplified construction of the invention and requiring no spider member for securing the box. In these figures reference numeral 49 represents a wall board with an opening 4! for the insertion of a switch box or receptacle 42, here represented as a double box with two switch buttons for which two windows 43. are here indicated in the-guard plate 31 which completely covers the opening 4| on the inside of the room. It will be understood that the same construction can be used for single :switch boxes, when the bracket will be adjusted to suit the width of the box.

As before, a foundation frame is provided, for placing over the opening 4| on the inner or rear surface of the wall board 49.- This frame comprises two halves; 44, 45 which are a substantially duplicate. Each consists of a straight side strap 46 having'three, straight, narrow fingers or tabs 4! directed inwardly from the side strap 46. Across one end of the latter two eyes 48 are shown for engagement with an adjusting rod 49 reaching across to second frame half.

At the opposite end of the side strap 49 an L-shaped side strap branch 59 is formed, which is provided with a series of. eyes 5| intended for engagement with a second adjusting rod 49 having its opposite end portion held in the two eyes 48 of the second half of the foundation frame.

By advancing or separating the members 44 and 45' on the adjusting rods 49, awidth suitable for the size of the opening 4| will be obtained. a

The L-shaped strap branch 59 has an inwardly directed finger 52 at right angles to the other fingers 41.

The switch box or receptacle 42 and the bracket frame are installed by first inserting the members 44 and 45 through the opening [9 to the rear of the wall. The two members are thereupon properly adjusted on the rods .49 as deter mined by the size of the opening 4.

The fingers 41 are then bent outwardly through the openin 4| and back upon the wall 40. The switch box or receptacle 42 is then inserted thru the opening after the fingers 52 have first been bent upwardly. The fingers 52 are then bent back over the edge of the switch box or receptacle 42. This will hold the box in place for installation of the needed switch elements. Lastly the opening is closed by the shield or guard plate 31 and screws 54 drawn up tight in the threaded lugs 55 on the inside of the box 42.

All parts of the bracket are stamped or punched out of sheet metal, preferably galvanized iron.

7 It is to be understood that the invention as herein disclosed may be varied from the details described and shown without departure from the spirit of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

- 1. A bracket adapted to support a receptacle in an opening in a wall including two members, means for connecting said members for sliding movement one toward the other to adjust the bracket as determinedby the size of the opening,

bendable fingers carried by the two members to fold over the marginal portion of the opening to secure the same to the wall and additional bendable fingers carried by the two members for engagement with the receptacle to hold the receptacle to the bracket.

'2. A bracket .as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for connecting the two members comprise a rod carried by each of the two members and disposed over the other, and means for slidably connecting each of the two members with the overlying portion of the rod of the other member.

3. A bracket as set forth in claim 1 further including a spider member to overlie the inserted end of the receptacle, said spider member comprising a plurality of arms of a length to extend beyond the receptacle, and additional arms carried by the extremities of the first arms and angular thereto, said second arms being of a length .to, extend through the wall opening and to overlie the marginal portion of the wall opening, said spider providing further means for holding the directed to permit opposite sliding movements of the two members.

- NORMAN C. GARDNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED VSJTATVESPATENTS Number Name Date 2,371,210 Atkinson's Mar. 13, 1945 2,422,553 Johansson et a1. June 1'7, 1947 2,429,443 Yeschick Oct. 21, 1947 

